Stepfamilies and Their Dynamics

March 15, 2001

A recent national conference -- billed as the first of its kind -- delved into the complexities of stepfamily life. The sponsors of the conference, the Stepfamily Association of America, estimated that half of all Americans will be involved in a stepfamily relationship of some sort.

They warned that America's laws and social institutions are built around the concept of "first families" and that stepfamilies think of themselves as different -- and strive to be "an instant biological family."

Here are a few of the revelations emerging from the discussions:

Most stepparents are -- in the legal sense -- strangers to their stepchildren and need to take extra steps to ensure that the stepchildren are included in wills or health insurance plans.

Doctors are often unsure how much authority a stepparent has to approve major medical treatment for a stepchild.

University of North Carolina professor Kay Pasley estimated that nearly 30 percent of America's children are in stepfamilies -- but noted that the Census Bureau does not supply the kind of information that would nail down the correct figure.

While the national divorce rate is estimated at between 40 percent and 50 percent, it is about 60 percent among stepfamilies.

James Bray, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, said his research suggests that stepchildren are no more prone to drinking and drug abuse than other children -- but have roughly double the rate of other behavioral and learning problems.